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There is a growing interest in increasing research capacity in South African public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in general and in Universities of Technology (UoTs) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges in particular. As part of its strategy to increase research capacity, the Education, Training and Development Practices Ϫ Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA) has established six Research Chairs in six public HEIs. This article introduces the work of the Research Chair for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) that was established by the ETDP SETA in August 2015. The purpose of introducing the work of the Research Chair is to explore possibilities for research collaborations and partnerships with a variety of stakeholders at local, national and international levels. The article is divided into five sections. The first section is an introduction which provides the context, focus and purpose of the Research Chair. This section also highlights the need for research into WIL current practices and WIL staff development needs and advocates for the development of WIL related HEQSF qualifications in the TVET sector. The second section provides an overview of literature on WIL and RPL and relates the work of the Research Chair to the 2013 Policy on Professional Qualifications for lecturers in TVET and the 2015 Draft RPL Policy for the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF). The third section deals with the research methodology that covers the research questions, intended outcomes and data collection processes that were involved. The fourth section discusses the research findings and enabling factors for the Research Chair. The final section provides a summary of the findings and calls for research collaborations.